On that summer day
Intoxicated by the scent of her childhood
She remembered
The frangipani blossoms on the tree in front of her
childhood home
That beautiful bungalow all wooden house
On stilts
With hammocks underneath
And the outdoor shower made of galvanized sheets placed together in a rectangle
And Next to it
…a giant old copper tub that they used to boil sugar cane juice on the plantations in the olden days, before she was born
She remembered the caterpillars
Trailing along the branches of this tree; believing in the magic they brought…
And she remembered the white gravel yard beneath heated by the sun against her toes
As she looked up toward them,
with not a care in the world but being a child…

As she walked through the halls
Of her favorite museum
sharing stories through its walls
she thought about life & purpose and being of use
It occurred to her that the
Deep
And
the Shallow
And the in-
between places
All belong
In a life well lived
None more than the other…

“Anne: But have you ever noticed one encouraging thing about me, Marilla? I never make the same mistake twice.

Marilla: I don’t know as that’s much benefit when you’re always making new ones.”

— L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Anne was my childhood muse, inspiration, heroine and fed my potential. She allowed me to dream big and own my differences. I was a very contemplative, spiritual, studious girl, who had a rich inner world and wanted to ‘be free’to not meet traditional expectations — for instance — to be single instead of marrying young, to study in a different place with new people, places and things. To leave my safety net and live on the edge of my own understanding. To explore diverse ideas and self expressions. I spent twenty two years of my life in NYC doing just that . I failed and succeeded, learned and loved, and rose out of ashes and dust when it was necessary; as my heart broke open several times and reformed itself into the mosaic it is.

Lately I remind myself that these my life is not yet over. Each new mistake or failure is just a version of an evolving thing. I want to be present enough, mindful enough, — to live so many more stories. My inner Anne is still with me.

About

Life is a constant unraveling of stories and intricate understanding of ourselves and our place in the world. The process of writing can be liberating and transforming and I wanted to try it in this context of blogging.
My wish is that my words can matter and even create a spark or two of recognition in another. I want to be willing and vulnerable enough to dare greatly and write as if no one was watching. I wish you all the very best.